New Video Builds Momentum in Global Effort to End Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2020

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a hard-hitting new video released today, celebrities from around the world called for support in the global effort to control and eliminate seven diseases that plague more than 1 billion people around the world, including 500 million children. In the video, international actors and musicians witness the devastation neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause and encourage their fans to be part of the solution. The video is part of the END7 campaign, the first global public awareness initiative dedicated to controlling and eliminating the seven most prevalent NTDs by 2020.

"Until recently, I didn't even know these diseases existed," said actress Emily Blunt. "The serious disabilities and suffering they inflict on the world's poorest people is heart-wrenching. But I was inspired to join the END7 campaign because, for once, the solution is simple and available now. And the cost for treatment is so low that almost anyone can make a big difference by giving just a few cents."

END7 relies heavily on individuals spreading the word and getting involved through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It aims to raise the public awareness and funding required to cover the cost of distributing medicine and setting up treatment programs for NTDs. END7 is encouraging supporters to sign a pledge to inspire global policy leaders and philanthropists to take action and help end these diseases by 2020.

It costs approximately 50 cents to treat one person against the seven most common NTDs for an entire year. Pharmaceutical companies have donated billions of pills to treat these diseases, and many programs use existing infrastructure, such as schools and community centers, as distribution points, making NTD treatment one of most cost-effective public health initiatives available today.

The seven most common NTDs—hookworm, ascariasis (roundworm), trichuriasis (whipworm), schistosomiasis (snail fever), lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness) and trachoma—infect more than one in six people worldwide, including more than 500 million children. They cause blindness, massive swelling in appendages and limbs, severe malnutrition and anemia. NTDs prevent children from growing and learning. They reduce adults' economic productivity and ability to care for their families, keeping communities trapped in a cycle of poverty and disease.

"In India alone, nearly 700 million people are at risk for elephantiasis and more than 200 million children are at risk for worm infections," said Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra. "Through the END7 campaign, we can offer a solution that will change the lives of millions of people living in poverty in Asia and around the world. I am proud to be a part of the global effort to end these diseases."

"We are building a movement that allows nearly everyone to play a part in making these diseases history," said Dr. Neeraj Mistry, managing director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases. "Since last January's London Declaration, we have seen a significant increase in support for NTD control and elimination among global leaders. What we need now is for the general public to get involved in our cause."

Tom Felton"I have really been impressed with the support for END7 among my fans," said Tom Felton. "END7 is unique because so little goes such a long way. Through Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, young people can donate and share the campaign with their friends. A simple social media post can make a big impact."

Eddie Redmayne"After watching the footage of these diseases, I was compelled to learn more," said Eddie Redmayne. "While these diseases might be complicated, the solution is simple: 50 cents is all it takes to treat someone infected with up to seven of the most common NTDs."

Tom Hollander"What struck me most about END7 is that the tools to treat these diseases are already available," said Tom Hollander. "What's missing is the public support to help get the medicine to the communities that need it most. I am proud to do my part, and urge my fans to learn about NTDs and what we can do to treat and prevent them."

Yvonne Chaka Chaka"These diseases are very real, even if people are not talking about them" said Yvonne Chaka Chaka. "Africa carries 50 percent of the global NTD burden, and I've seen their impact first hand. The END7 campaign is sparking a global movement to end these diseases."

About END7END7 is an international advocacy campaign that seeks to raise the awareness and funding necessary to control and eliminate the seven most common neglected tropical diseases by 2020. The international effort to control and eliminate NTDs has the support of a diverse group of global partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), national governments, pharmaceutical companies, corporations and individuals. END7 is run by the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, an initiative of the Sabin Vaccine Institute.

About NTDsNTDs are a group of 17 parasitic and bacterial infections that are the most common afflictions of the world's poorest people. They blind, disable and disfigure their victims, trapping them in a cycle of poverty and disease. Research shows that treating NTDs lifts millions out of poverty by ensuring that children stay in school to learn and prosper; by strengthening worker productivity; and by improving maternal and child health.

About Sabin Vaccine InstituteSabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization of scientists, researchers, and advocates dedicated to reducing needless human suffering caused by vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases. Sabin works with governments, leading public and private organizations, and academic institutions to provide solutions for some of the world's most pervasive health challenges. Since its founding in 1993 in honor of the oral polio vaccine developer, Dr. Albert B. Sabin, the Institute has been at the forefront of efforts to control, treat and eliminate these diseases by developing new vaccines, advocating use of existing vaccines and promoting increased access to affordable medical treatments. For more information please visit www.sabin.org.

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